Table Rock Current Fishing Report 6-4-19

[Bill Babler]

Branson, Mo. Table Rock Lake Report White River Outfitters Guide Service

Amy with a fantastic top water Table Rock Smallmouth bass

Due to an emergency cancel from my today's clients I'm home after just an exciting last few days on both the Rock and Taney.  

Bass fishing on the Rock from end to end is really setting new standards for quantity and if your work it some very nice quality.  Numbers of fish on guide trips is just outstanding with most 4 hr. trips averaging 35 plus fish, and if I can get people up, about 1/2 of those will be top water.

Shane with a nice Redfin fish.

Best top water bite even on clouds has been 5:30 to 7 AM.   There is now a real solid shad spawn going on the bank,and it is over about as quick as it starts.  The progression is very interesting, and you can follow it out just watching the chasing.  At first light its on the bank behind the bushes and then works out to depth as the sun rises, or really just as the morning progresses.

Best top water for me and mine, remains a wide wobble top water wake bait.  I just am getting very little love on either a spook a chugger or a pooper.  Not saying they won't just tear them up, but  not even close on the number of strikes right now on the wide wobbler.

Every once in a while something really special happens.  Amy made it work with a double on the fin catching this super LM and Jaw with one swing of the fin.

Lots of times you can get two on but getting them in for a photo is quite a different matter.  Good Work Amy.

When the topwater deal winds down,  I'm going with really 3 presentations, and the drop shot is not one of them.  When they are still up there shallow and under 10' I'm going with a Ned.  I'm using GP or PBJ  any natural variation in the clear water,  In any of the off color water and there is still a lot of it, I'm using orange craw.

As the morning moves later, the swim bait is still just simply on fire.  Don't get caught up with only a paddle tail,  the C-tail grubs are at times producing better.  

Pictured are a Chompers smoke pepper, Yamamoto smoke red fleck and of course 2 from the Keitech family.  All of these are on 3/16 Keitech tungsten ball heads with 2/0 hook.

I'm talking here after 8 in the morning and you will still see some chasing.  Don't let these get away.  Put on a heavy spoon or a tail spinner that you can throw for distance and keep after them, as they are just always out of reach for a top water bait.

The hooks on the Little George are trash and if you don't upgrade you will be sorry.

Most of these fish are remaining under 25 ft. right now and instead of dragging the Ned that deep I'm fishing a 3/8th. to 1/2 oz. Pig Sticker Quick 5 in GPO.

Trailers are plentiful, but the smallie beaver is working fantastic for me right now and it has just the right amount of orange already in it.

Yes,the pro's and some others are catching them on bluffs.  With clients this is pretty much impossible as they are paralleling and that does not give everyone a shot,  These fish are on the long gravel points. One of my clients on his own last week had 36 off on point.  He said they were just stacked in 17 ft.  He nedded the heck out of them at Shell Knob.

 Visibility is ranging from 2' to 12' depending on lake section.  Surface temp  is pretty much 75 lake wide with a little variation.

They are biting, get out there and enjoy it.

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[big c]

Wow! Thanks for the info!

[5bites]

I wish I could get down again while this lasts. Great report Mr. Bill

[Sore Thumbs]

Awesome. Bill? Did you happen to watch KVD last night on BPT? Wondering if he was throwing a Redfin? He said the bait he was using needed quite a bit of modification and it looked like a Redfin. He was moving it pretty fast though. Can a Redfin be fished fast? Or is it a slow reel in? Thanks for the report. 

[Bill Babler]

The right fin with the right modifications can be reeled at any speed and any rod angle. About 2 out of 50 at best. An OK fin can be reeled at slow speed with the rod high at its furthest point and rod lowered and speed increases as it gets closer. 10 out of 50 if modified correctly

Berkley Surge Shad works out of the box. It’s about 1/3rd. As good. Still needs rings and hooks. It will get about 2/3rds. As many blow-ups and about 1/2 as many hook-ups

[Dock-in-it]

Bill, thanks for the report. Your topwater info in exactly what I am seeing. The red fin will definitely outperform the spook and plopper. So I just have a spook tied on for those major blow ups within 50 ft of the boat. The LM are also doing good over timber. This morning I had the boat in 40 to 45 ft and just fan cast to the direction of the last surface activity. The LM bite over timber seems to last a little longer than the open water. The MLF guys would of had a field day this morning.

 

[Bill Babler]

2 hours ago, Dock-in-it said:

Bill, thanks for the report. Your topwater info in exactly what I am seeing. The red fin will definitely outperform the spook and plopper. So I just have a spook tied on for those major blow ups within 50 ft of the boat. The LM are also doing good over timber. This morning I had the boat in 40 to 45 ft and just fan cast to the direction of the last surface activity. The LM bite over timber seems to last a little longer than the open water. The MLF guys would of had a field day this morning.

 

We are reading the same book.  Thanks.

[Codywskeeter1521]

Wow!! Bill you're reports are amazing and are so detailed. Over the years I've really appreciated them. Thank you for taking your time to post them. 

[Quillback]

Need to get that gal signed up for the BPT!

[STLbassbuster]

11 hours ago, Sore Thumbs said:

Awesome. Bill? Did you happen to watch KVD last night on BPT? Wondering if he was throwing a Redfin? He said the bait he was using needed quite a bit of modification and it looked like a Redfin. He was moving it pretty fast though. Can a Redfin be fished fast? Or is it a slow reel in? Thanks for the report. 

KVD was using a discontinued Strike king King Shad with a feathered treble on the rear. It’s a sub surface jointed hardbait. He caught a bunch on it today.